Ch. 751..760

Chapter 751 He Is Probably Having IMS

After hanging up the phone, Arissa turned to speak to Benjamin, only to see him with an icy expression. That startled her for a moment. Whoa! What a sudden change in mood!

“I’ve asked Mr. Frank to go and look for the document in your office. I’m certain I delivered it to you.” Even if he wasn’t lying to me, perhaps the document had been misplaced. As such, I must get to the bottom of this matter.

“Got it,” Benjamin muttered a cursory reply, his voice cold and indifferent. Arissa eyed him for a moment. Pursing her lips, she scooted back to the children’s side.

Similarly sensing Benjamin’s mood change, the six children stole a peek at him. “What’s wrong with Mr. Graham, Mommy?” Jasper queried in a whisper.

In response, Arissa curled her lips. “He’s probably having IMS!”

At once, curiosity showed on the faces of all six children. “What’s IMS, Mommy?”

At that, Arissa guffawed. Benjamin frowned, likewise intrigued about the meaning of IMS. After laughing for a while, Arissa explained in a low voice, “It’s something like PMS. When someone has IMS, he has mood swings.”

The corners of Benjamin’s mouth twitched, and he pinched the woman’s ear. “Ouch!”

Pain shot through Arissa, upon which she jerked her head to the side and shot daggers at the man, smacking his hand away.

“What are you doing?”

“What did you just say about me?”

Benjamin’s gaze was sharp and radiated a strong sense of warning. Arissa blinked, guilt flooding her. I spoke so softly earlier, yet he heard me?

She flashed him a sheepish smile. “Nothing!”

Subsequently, she surreptitiously sneaked a look at the man’s expression. Seeing that he wasn’t mad, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Benjamin snorted and shot her a glare. Looking away, Arissa asked the children, “What would you all like to eat for dinner, Sweethearts?”

All six children fixated their eyes on her. “Are you cooking, Mommy?”

“Nope. But if you all would like to eat my cooking, I don’t mind making a few dishes!”

Who knows, dinner might be ready by the time we arrive home. After all, Edwin has gone back to prepare dinner.

“Mommy, you’re deliberately saying that, right? By the time we arrive home, dinner will be ready!” Zachary giggled.

Exposed by her son, Arissa was embarrassed for a moment. Benjamin stared at the back of her head fixedly. “I’d like to eat steak!”

Arissa’s lips twitched. I wasn’t asking him! Upon receiving no response from her, Benjamin murmured in a deep voice, “Well?”

Sensing great pressure washing over her, Arissa turned and glanced at him. “In that case, ask Edwin to grill it!”

“You know how to grill a steak, no? I’d like to eat your cooking!”

Benjamin gazed at her deeply. Arissa’s heart skipped a beat before it pounded wildly.

Goodness! I really can’t stand him looking at me in such a manner. It makes me waver and relent!

“Fine!”

The corners of Zachary, Oliver, and Jasper’s mouths twitched. Couldn’t she have declined?

Conversely, Gavin and Jesse were over the moon that they would get to eat the steaks she grilled.

Tim was also very much looking forward to it.

Meanwhile, Benjamin’s thin lips curled up slightly.

Just when they arrived at the Graham residence, a phone call from Ethen came in.

Arissa hastily answered the call.

“Have you found it, Mr. Frank?”

On the other end of the phone, Ethen paused for a second before answering in a hushed voice, “Yes, but there are only a few pieces of blank paper in the document you submitted, Ms. York.”

Arissa was entirely stunned.

“Blank paper?”

“Yes. The label indicates that it’s from your office, so that should be it.”

At Ethen’s words, Arissa’s lips twitched.

Don’t tell me I didn’t print them out? But I did press the button.

Benjamin carried the children out of the car.

Standing beside the car, he bent over and looked at her. “Are you not coming out?”

Arissa cast a glance at him, mortified to the core. Ethen then uttered a call-closing statement before ending the call.

“Perhaps I forgot to print the document out, Mr. Graham. I’ll print it out for you in a while!”

She voluntarily admitted to her mistake.

Benjamin harrumphed softly.

Arissa took a peek at him. Puzzlement swamped her when she saw that he wasn’t surprised in the least.

“Did you already see my document?”

“Nope!” Benjamin glanced at her.

A while later, he added, “I only saw the folder.”

Words eluded Arissa.

 

Chapter 752 He Does Not Eat Minced Garlic

Couldn’t he have cleared things up earlier? Instead, he sat there and watched as I investigated the matter! “How could you?”

Arissa’s temper spiked. “I indeed didn’t see your document.”

Benjamin regarded her steadily, his tone emphatic. Arissa sulked. Well, it’s true that my document wasn’t there. “You should have clarified things. Yet, you merely watched at the side as I made a fool of myself!”

Bending, she climbed out of the car and shot him a glare before entering the house. Benjamin merely quirked an eyebrow. “Serves you right!” Gavin threw the man a taunting look.

In response, Benjamin shot his son a sidelong glance. Shouldering his schoolbag, Gavin chased after his siblings. “Let’s go in!”

Zachary held Tim’s hand while Oliver and Jasper held Jesse’s hand. In a flash, all six children sprinted into the house. The schoolbags on their shoulders bounced about, rendering them absolutely adorable.

Benjamin’s eyes were trained on their petite figures, his thin lips curving upward. Gavin had become much livelier with the company of the other kids. At the sight of their return, Edwin trotted out to greet them. “You’re back, Mrs. Graham, kids!”

“Yup!” Arissa replied with a smile. Grinning, Edwin cast his gaze at Benjamin, who came in last. “Mr. Graham, one more dish and dinner will be ready!”

“Okay.” Benjamin inclined his head at the man before going upstairs to change. Taking a gander at him, Arissa pivoted and went into the kitchen. When she saw that there were steaks left, she made garlic butter steak.

In the meantime, the six children sat in the living room. Tim was revising with a textbook in his hand while Gavin and Zachary taught him the parts he didn’t understand.

Arissa then headed over to call them for dinner. Upon seeing that they were studying, she walked over with a smile. “What are you studying?”

“Mommy!” The children snapped their heads around to look at her. “Gavin and the others are teaching me the parts I don’t understand,” explained Tim, lifting his head to look at his mother with slight bashfulness.

“Ah, that’s good. Ask them whatever you don’t understand, Sweetheart. It’s dinner time, so let’s eat first. You can continue later.”

Arissa stroked his head. “Yay! Dinner is ready!” Jesse cheered excitedly.

“Let’s wash our hands and eat!”

Jasper scrambled up and dashed to the washroom. Chuckling, Arissa urged the other children, “Go and wash your hands before eating!”

After they had all run off to wash their hands, she went upstairs to call Benjamin upon seeing that the man had yet to come downstairs.

Benjamin was on the phone, standing on the balcony in the room. His expression was rather grim. Glimpsing that, Arissa didn’t approach him. She merely stopped by the door and knocked, whispering, “Dinner is ready.”

Benjamin jerked his head over and nodded in acknowledgment. Arissa continued studying him for a long moment before spinning on her heel and going downstairs.

Quite some time passed before Benjamin ended the call and went downstairs for dinner. Taking a seat with the six children, Arissa told them to drink some soup first while waiting for the man.

“Daddy is here!”

“Mr. Graham is here!”

The children swung their gazes in Benjamin’s direction. Arissa turned and glanced at him as well.

He carried an innate sense of authoritativeness, so she sensed his strong aura as he drew near.

“Dinner is ready, Mr. Graham!”

Benjamin nodded. “Got it. Let’s all eat!”

He proceeded to sit down to eat.

Arissa stole a peek at him. Her curiosity was piqued when she saw no sign of his fury earlier.

Nonetheless, she didn’t ask him about that.

Glimpsing the steak in front of him, Benjamin narrowed his eyes imperceptibly. “Who made this?”

A sense of foreboding washed over Arissa, and her heart lurched. “What’s wrong? I made it.”

Didn’t he say he wanted to eat steak? I just grilled the steak in a different way.

“Mr. Graham doesn’t eat minced garlic, Mrs. Graham,” Edwin hurriedly explained when he saw the tense situation.

Throwing the man whose expression was as black as thunder a look, Arissa moved the dish away. Oh well, he really doesn’t appreciate good food!

She placed some steak on the children’s plates, and they all loved it, smacking their lips as they ate.

“I want more, Mommy!”

“Me too, Ms. York!”

“There’s still much left. Here.”

Arissa added more to the children’s plates.

She tried a piece of steak herself and found that it tasted superb.

 

Chapter 753 Or Are You Unwilling

Seeing that Arissa and the children were all enjoying the steak, Benjamin eyed the plate of garlic butter steak. “Give me a piece.”

Arissa cast a look at him. “I thought you don’t eat minced garlic?” At that, Benjamin swept a sharp gaze over her. “Didn’t you make it for me?”

Warmth suffused Arissa, and she took a piece of steak for him. “Don’t force yourself if you really dislike it. The kids and I can finish it.”

Benjamin looked at her. Surprisingly, he finished the piece of steak. He stilled for a second when the taste hit him, for the minced garlic didn’t taste as bad as he expected. “Not bad!” he commented.

Arissa gaped at him. Shooting her a sidelong glance, Benjamin motioned for her to give him a few more pieces. Thus, Arissa took another piece of steak for him. All six children loved it as well, so they quickly took more.

With that, the entire plate of steak was gone. Benjamin directed his gaze at the children, and they giggled. “Mommy made this, so we can also eat it!”

“I’ll make it again next time if you all like it,” Arissa turned and promised the children. She then prompted them to savor the other dishes.

The six children were all delighted. When Arissa saw them all eating with relish, her mood remained upbeat. Following suit, Benjamin had another helping of pasta as well.

As Edwin clocked it all, sheer gratification deluged him. At that precise moment, Darius came with William. Arissa swiftly greeted them and invited them to join in for dinner.

The six children were even more exuberant to see their grandfather. They all greeted Darius, putting him in seventh heaven. After dinner, Darius played with the children in the living room.

Arissa brewed coffee for him in warm hospitality. “There’s no need to bustle about, Issa. I’ll go and look for Benjamin for a moment,” Darius remarked smilingly.

He then told her to keep the children company while he stood up and went to the study in search of Benjamin. “Benjamin!”

Benjamin lifted his head, only to see Darius walking in. “Have a seat, Dad.”

Taking a seat on the chair in front of the desk, Darius stared at his son, who was busy with work. This youngest son of mine is outstanding in everything he does and is my pride, but he’s worrying in some aspects.

“Did you not bring Issa over to register your marriage today?”

“It isn’t time yet,” Benjamin murmured placidly. Darius’ eyes remained fixated on him. “Is it not time yet, or are you unwilling to do so?”

Benjamin frowned, saying nothing at all.

“Benjamin, Issa is a girl. Don’t put her in an awkward position when she has given birth to six children for you. If you really don’t want to marry her, don’t have her stay with you. How is she going to get married in the future?”

Raising his head, Benjamin pinned his eyes on Darius. “Do you want to see her taking the six kids away?”

“How is she going to raise six kids alone? She still has to go to work. The kids must be in your custody. If she misses them, she can come and visit them,” Darius asserted solemnly.

Benjamin narrowed his eyes a fraction as he continued eyeballing the old man.

“You previously promised to allow her to have custody of the kids. Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

“That was because I thought she might marry into the Graham family. Now that you’ve got no feelings for her, it’s better to draw a line between you both.”

Darius regarded his son stonily without giving the game away.

In response, Benjamin merely snorted. “Instead of worrying about this, you’d be better served worrying about those few sons of yours.”

Darius’ brows creased deeply in puzzlement. “What’s wrong with them?”

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Benjamin remained silent.

Knowing that he wasn’t getting anything out of his son, Darius heaved a sigh.

“Benjamin, how am I to resolve the problem if you won’t tell me about it?”

Benjamin’s expression went cold.

Helplessness inundated Darius. “I failed to fulfill my responsibilities as a father. I didn’t take good care of you when you were young. I caused you much suffering. Now, you’ve got children and have become a father yourself. You have your own family, so you need to consider your children in everything you do. Don’t follow in my footsteps and make them drift increasingly further away from you.”

He didn’t spell things out, but he knew that Benjamin would understand his meaning.

“Don’t obsess over the past anymore. It’ll only hurt you and those around you.”

 

 

Chapter 754 He Must Have Fought With Daddy

“It’s time you go home!” Benjamin uttered coldly. Verily, he didn’t want to hear Darius saying all that. Darius sighed, rather worried to see how stubborn his son was.

“Issa has feelings for you, so don’t wait until you lose her to regret it! If you have feelings for her, too, do something to reciprocate her feelings. Otherwise, keep your distance from her. Don’t keep your relationship ambiguous like this.”

“I’m not you!” Benjamin interrupted icily. Darius’ expression changed. He gazed at the man for a while before getting to his feet and leaving. When he returned to the living room, he called William along to leave.

“Are you not going to stay for a while longer, Old Mr. Graham?”

Noticing that his expression was gloomy, Arissa was very much worried. “No, it’s okay. I’m old, so I’ve got to go home and rest earlier.”

Darius flashed her a forced smile. Waving at her, he then left. All six children were wholly perplexed. “Why did Grandpa leave so abruptly?” Oliver wondered.

Gavin glanced at the study. “He must have fought with Daddy.”

At once, everyone swung their gazes at Gavin. Looking at her son, Arissa inquired, “Do they fight often, Sweetheart?”

Gavin blinked. “It has happened many times.”

“Do you know why?”

Arissa tried to pry information out of him. Alas, Gavin shook his head, for he had no idea either. Arissa caressed his head. The moment she saw Edwin approaching with some snacks, a flash of something flittered across her eyes.

“Old Mr. Graham has left?” Edwin asked when he didn’t see Darius around. Arissa nodded. “Yeah, he just left a while ago.”

Subsequently, she queried, “Edwin, do you know what’s wrong between Old Mr. Graham and Benjamin? Could you tell me?”

“Don’t worry about this, Mrs. Graham. That’s a problem between the two of them. If I were to tell you, Mr. Graham would fly into a rage when he learns about it.”

Edwin didn’t dare tell her about it. Arissa’s brows furrowed deeply. If that’s the case, the problem between them is really not trivial. “Don’t worry, Mommy. Daddy and Grandpa have always gotten along like that!” Gavin asserted in consolation.

“Did Mr. Graham do something wrong, or did Grandpa?”

Zachary looked at Edwin curiously. Edwin chuckled, not quite sure how to explain it to the young boy. “Both of them did something wrong.”

They’ve both got their faults. Seeing that he was reluctant to say anything, Arissa didn’t continue pursuing the question, lest she put him in a difficult position.

She accompanied the children while they did their revisions in the living room. Tim read to her. Clocking his seriousness, she felt proud on his behalf.

“Sweetheart, this is pronounced without the alphabet ‘h’ in the front.”

Tim hurriedly noted it down and read it aloud to her once more. “Was that right, Ms. York?”

Arissa nodded. “Yup, that was exactly it! How amazing, Sweetheart! Keep up the great work!”

Tim smiled shyly upon receiving her compliment. “I will!”

Arissa continued checking on the other children. All that was a piece of cake for Gavin, Zachary, Oliver, and Jasper. Only Jesse was having trouble reading. In fact, she was even worse than Tim.

“Jesse, you’ve got to learn from Tim. He has only started attending school, but he has mastered it. Yet, you’re still unfamiliar with it when you’ve studied for a few semesters!”

Sometimes, Arissa was quite worried about Jesse’s studies.

“I can’t master it, Mommy. I understood when the teacher taught me, but I can’t remember after that.”

Jesse pouted, looking all pitiful.

Arissa was tickled pink by the girl’s expression. “You’ve got to memorize it! If you can’t remember, read it a few more times.”

“She’s just lazy, Mommy!” Jasper chimed in.

Oliver eyed Jesse with amusement in his gaze. “She doesn’t remember even if I teach her.”

Amused and slightly exasperated at the same time, she said, “Sweetheart, if you don’t study hard, you’ll become a silly billy.”

“No! I don’t want to become a silly billy!”

Jesse stuck out her lower lip.

“Don’t be sad. I’ll teach you!” Gavin consoled.

“if you can teach her, Gavin, I’ll be very much impressed!”

Arissa was at her wits’ end when it came to Jesse, for the latter wasn’t as intelligent as her brothers and was slow in whatever she learned.

“I can do it, Mommy!”

Gavin nodded solemnly.

“I’ll also teach Jesse when I’ve mastered it!” Tim vowed.

 

Chapter 755 Working Overtime With Benjamin

“I’m rooting for you, Tim! You can definitely do it!” Subsequently, Arissa went on to encourage all the children. “When you’ve gotten good grades, I’ll bring you all wherever you want to have fun and eat whatever you want!”

Putting away his phone, Zachary declared, “Mommy, I’ve recorded everything you said, lest you go back on your word!”

The corners of Arissa’s mouth twitched. “You’ve promised, so you’ve got to keep your word, Mommy!”

Oliver was exceedingly confident, for obtaining good grades was as easy as pie to him. “I’m a woman of my word!”

Arissa nodded with a smile. “Teach Tim and Jesse everything you know.”

“We’ve been doing that all along, Mommy!” Zachary replied, grinning from ear to ear. Hearing that, Arissa nodded. “Don’t worry, Mommy. I’ll supervise them and teach them whatever they don’t understand!” Gavin promised.

“You’re all my precious children!”

Arissa leaned down and pecked them all on the cheek. That had the children giggling away. “Mrs. Graham, Mr. Graham asked that you go to the study,” Edwin murmured, approaching Arissa.

Nodding, Arissa instructed him to take care of the children before going to the study. “Help me sort all that out.”

Benjamin pointed at the printer.

Upon seeing that he was really busy, Arissa went over and helped to sort the documents out.

He had already printed a few sets, so she categorized everything and stapled them together.

“Also, there’s this. Go through them for a bit.”

Benjamin tossed a few technical documents at her.

Following that, Arissa could only sit down and focus on reviewing the documents.

They worked for more than an hour.

When the children didn’t see her coming out even after they had gone upstairs and bathed on their own, they trotted over to the study.

Six petite heads poked into the room.

At the sight of both Arissa and Benjamin busy with work, they all sighed.

“Mommy is still busy,” Gavin turned and said to the others.

“Are they going to be busy for a long time?”

Tim stared at him.

In response, Gavin shook his head. “I’ve got no idea!”

Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse heaved a sigh.

“Let’s go and see whether Mr. Whitley has prepared supper! Then, we’ll call Mommy to eat!”

“Let’s go!”

The children charged into the kitchen. Edwin was elated to see them.

“Kids, have you all bathed?”

All six children nodded. “Yup! We’ve all bathed!”

“We even helped Jesse bathe!” Gavin exclaimed proudly.

Edwin stroked their heads affectionately before telling them to wait in the dining room while he hastily went about preparing supper.

Meanwhile, Benjamin had already caught sight of the children when they poked their heads into the room. He glanced at the woman, who didn’t notice anything.

Indeed, it was easy for Arissa to ignore everything around her when she was focused on work.

After an indeterminate time, she sensed the man’s eyes on her and lifted her head. All at once, she met his intense gaze.

“What is it?”

Benjamin’s gaze swept across her exquisite features. “Go and rest. I’ll finish the remaining work.”

Since there wasn’t much left, Arissa declined. “Only these two copies are left. I’ll finish them first. Then, you’ll also be able to finish work faster.”

Benjamin’s thin lips turned up slightly. “It’s a waste of talent to have you hold the post of technical director. Why don’t you switch over and be my assistant?”

Arissa was momentarily taken aback. “There are specializations in different careers, so I’d better stick to my forte. Besides, don’t you already have Ethen?”

Benjamin arched a brow. “You can learn more if you work alongside me.”

“No, thanks. I’d like to spare some time to spend with the kids.”

Arissa didn’t want to be too busy, and neither being the CEO’s assistant or secretary would leave her with much time on her hands.

Benjamin was already busy enough, yet she might be even busier.

Benjamin stilled for a second. All of a sudden, he remembered Darius’ advice. Indeed, he usually had little time to spend with the children.

A heartbeat later, Arissa’s voice rang out again. “If you’ve got time, you should also spend more time with them.”

Benjamin looked at her for a while. He then got to his feet and declared, “Let’s go!”

Arissa was stunned for a moment. Surprise flooded her when she saw that there were still unfinished documents on the desk.

“You’ve still got work, no?”

 

Chapter 756 I Can Have Red Wine With You

“There won’t be any time left by the time I finish my work.” Benjamin walked out of the study. Arissa glanced at the time and wondered whether the children had bathed.

No sooner had they gone out than the six children ran over from the dining room. “Mommy, Mr. Graham, it’s time for supper!”

“Let’s have supper, Mommy!” “Let’s have supper, Ms. York!”

“Let’s have supper, Mr. Graham!” “Mommy, Mr. Graham, hurry up!”

“Mommy, Daddy, let’s have supper together!” All six of them called out to the couple in unison. Arissa beamed widely upon seeing that they had all bathed. “I thought you all hadn’t bathed!”

“We know exactly what to do, Mommy!” Zachary exclaimed with a grin. As Arissa led them to the dining room, she turned and called out to Benjamin, “Are you eating?”

After having been busy for a while, she was indeed a touch hungry. “Yeah.”

Benjamin gave her a look and brought the children to the dining room as well. The children were over the moon to see that they were all having supper together. Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse chattered nonstop about the delicious food that Edwin made.

As the two of them went over, they were greeted by the sight of a tableful of scrumptious food. Arissa was delighted. “Everything looks yummy! Was this all prepared by Edwin?”

“Yeah,” Benjamin muttered. Carrying the children, he plopped them onto the chairs before pulling out a chair for the woman. “Sit down and eat!”

Arissa sat down and ate with them. Edwin then brought out a plate of barbecue skewers. The instant he spotted Benjamin there, he was startled for a moment. “I added a bit of chili pepper to this.”

He specifically added it because he knew that Arissa loved eating spicy foods. “Thank you, Edwin! I love this!”

Getting up from her seat, Arissa took it from him. “Don’t bustle around anymore, Edwin. Sit down and eat with us!”

Edwin merely chucked. “You all go ahead. I’ll go and get the milkshakes.”

“Wow, you even prepared milkshake?”

Arissa was pleasantly surprised. In response, Edwin nodded. “Yup! The atmosphere won’t be right if there’s no milkshake during supper!”

Arissa smiled from ear to ear and praised his cooking skills to the skies. “Edwin, the supper you prepare tastes better than those prepared by professional chefs! They taste amazing!”

Edwin laughed heartily. “I’m glad you like it, Mrs. Graham!”

Benjamin glanced at them. When he saw Arissa beaming at the man, he frowned imperceptibly. Does she smile like that at any man?

“Don’t talk while you’re eating!” he snapped.

Having been called out, Arissa curled her lips.

“Supper is to be eaten while chatting!”

“Yeah, Mr. Graham. Supper is usually paired with beer,” Jasper seconded.

Arissa’s eyes lit up. She turned to Benjamin. “How about some beer, Graham?”

Benjamin gazed at her long and hard. “If you want to drink, I can have some red wine with you.”

He loathed the fact that one hiccupped after drinking beer.

Arissa flashed him a sheepish smile. “Never mind, then. Red wine is too high-class.”

In truth, she was mainly afraid that she would end up drunk after imbibing.

I’ve still got to wake up early tomorrow to bring the kids to the hospital to visit Grandaunt. If I oversleep, there wouldn’t be enough time.

Benjamin’s thin lips curved to form a smile. “Milkshake is fine, too. There’s no need to drink beer.”

Arissa cast a look at him.

At the sight of the smile on his face that rendered him handsome beyond words, her heartbeat inexorably accelerated.

“Okay.”

She averted her gaze and focused on eating the barbecue skewers.

When Benjamin noticed the red marks staining the corners of her lips, his gaze darkened a shade.

“You’re having such spicy food?”

Blinking, Arissa smacked her lips.

“It isn’t spicy. Try one, and you’ll know. It only appears spicy.”

She instinctively handed him a barbecue skewer, but she suddenly remembered that he suffered from gastric. Immediately, she retracted her hand.

Benjamin had already stretched out a hand to take it, so embarrassment swamped him when she did that.

“Your stomach is easily upset, so you’d better not eat such a thing.”

Benjamin quirked an eyebrow. “That only happens occasionally.”

Arissa shot him a sidelong glance. “Even if you’re feeling fine now, you can’t simply eat whatever you please!”

Benjamin’s gaze flickered, and he replied in a low voice, “Okay.”

His rich baritone voice carried a hint of joy.

Chapter 757 A Furious Blush

Benjamin said indignantly, “Still, I want to try a bite!” As he spoke, he snatched the barbecue skewer from Arissa, who gaped at him in shock.

Gavin, Tim, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse stared at Benjamin, equally wide-eyed. Gavin exclaimed, “Daddy! Why are you eating Mommy’s food?”

His father would never eat someone else’s food. Innocently, Zachary piped up, “Mr. Graham, there’s plenty of food on the plate!”

“You ate Mommy’s saliva, Mr. Graham!” Jasper yelped. Benjamin cringed in awkwardness while Arissa blushed as red as a tomato at Jasper’s words. She glared at Benjamin before explaining to the children, “I haven’t eaten that skewer yet!”

Alas, Oliver merely smiled at his mother and replied, “You don’t need to explain anything, Mommy. We understand.” Oliver’s knowing smile embarrassed Arissa to no end.

Thankfully, Tim and Jesse did not chime in. Arissa put on a stern expression and chided, “Eat up! Stop talking!”

The children laughed for a good moment. As though fearing no one had noticed Arissa’s blush, Jasper even teased, “Mommy, your face is so red!”

Arissa lowered her head and began eating. When the children tried to take the barbecue skewers in front of her, she held on to the plate and refused to share.

“These are mine!”

Meanwhile, Benjamin had finally swallowed the bite of skewer he had impulsively taken from Arissa. His face reddened from how spicy the food was.

Arissa’s love and tolerance for spicy food were making his stomach churn. He could not believe how she enjoyed such torture.

“Hehe! Daddy’s face is red too!” Gavin burst into a fit of laughter after spotting his father’s blush.

The other five children instantly whipped their heads around to stare at Benjamin.

Arissa shot Benjamin a surprised look and mocked, “My, my, Graham. That’s a furious blush you’re wearing. Are you shy?”

That earned her a warning glare as Benjamin defended himself. “The food is too spicy!”

Arissa’s lips twitched in amusement. She scoffed and said, “Please. This isn’t spicy at all.”

Tim nodded in agreement and added, “Not spicy!”

She smiled at the young boy and said gently, “Yeah. It’s not spicy at all!”

Her response drew a small smile from Tim.

Arissa’s gaze softened at the sight of her son’s happy expression.

Benjamin was equally relieved when he noticed that Tim was gradually lowering his guard against them.

Softly, he asked, “Do you like spicy food, Tim?”

Tim nodded and replied, “Yes!”

He used to plant and sell chili peppers with Mary in the winter. The peppers were small but packed a punch. Mary used to marinate them and cook them with pasta, which was absolutely delicious.

Zachary noticed how Tim’s eyes had lit up, and he asked curiously, “Tim, what was the spiciest dish you ever ate?”

“The chili pepper that Great-grandaunt and I planted!” Tim announced quietly but proudly.

“Wow. You guys plant your own chili peppers?” Oliver’s curiosity was piqued.

Nodding, Tim explained, “Many people in the village plant them. You can sell them for money.”

“How big was your field?” asked Jasper.

Tim scratched his head as he mulled over the question. He replied hesitantly, “Maybe about one thousand and five hundred square meters!”

Gavin and Jesse had no concept of how big that space was, nor did the other children, who looked equally perplexed.

Arissa, however, grew up in the countryside and immediately knew just how big that piece of land was.

She asked, “Did you and Grandaunt harvest the peppers alone?”

“Uh-huh!” Tim nodded.

Arissa was stunned. It was already difficult for an old woman and a child to manage a chili pepper field larger than a thousand square meters, let alone harvest the crop by themselves.

“Sweetheart, was the harvest good?”

Tim lowered his head dejectedly and muttered, “No. We couldn’t plant them well, so the chili peppers didn’t look nice, and we had to sell them for a low price!”

Arissa’s heart ached for the boy. Farming had never been easy.

She stroked Tim’s head tenderly and consoled, “Let’s not plant that next time. Study hard, Tim, and you can do bigger things and earn a lot of money!”

Tim’s eyes lit up with hope, and he nodded somberly.

“Yeah! A lot of the older kids in the village studied hard and found jobs outside the village. They always bring a lot of money home during festivals!”

 

 

Chapter 758 A Lesson

Arissa smiled at the innocent Tim and said, “You can do the same thing when you grow up too! There’s no rush now. You should study hard at your age.”

“I can’t make money yet, Ms. York. Great-grandaunt and I are using your money now, but I promise I’ll pay you back in the future!” declared Tim with conviction.

While Arissa was relieved by his sense of independence, she was also a little disappointed that Tim did not plan to rely on her and Benjamin.

Independence was an excellent trait, yet as Tim’s biological mother, she naturally could not help but wish that her children would depend on her.

She was more than happy to spoil her child rotten.

Instead, Tim was still treating her like an outsider.

Benjamin glanced at Arissa before addressing Tim, “Your mommy should be giving you and your great-grandaunt money to spend. Your parents are responsible for raising you into an adult. Don’t feel pressured to pay her back now. Once you’re all grown up with a job of your own, you have plenty of opportunities to thank her for her care!”

He also glanced at the other children and declared, “I won’t stop any of you if you plan to give your salaries to your mommy in the future!”

Zachary snickered and replied, “We can give Mommy a good life now, Mr. Graham. She doesn’t have to work so hard anymore.”

“Mm-hmm! I can pay for Mommy too. I have savings!”

Meanwhile, Gavin shot Benjamin a sidelong glance and warned, “Don’t make Mommy suffer too much. Sometimes, she’s so busy she can’t spend time with us.”

Benjamin arched a brow in response. He knew Gavin was rich, but he had no idea how the children raised by Arissa gained their wealth.

He asked them, “Where does your money come from?”

Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse kept their lips zipped instead of answering him.

Their adorable response brought a smile to Arissa’s face. She had an inkling of where their money came from.

The children had known the ins and outs of running a business from a young age, a talent likely inherited from their father.

“Did you make money yourselves?” Tim asked Zachary curiously.

Gavin’s rich, and so are my younger siblings. I’m the only poor lad here. I need to work hard so I’m not a burden to them!

“Yup!”

Zachary nodded before leaning toward Tim’s ear, whispering, “I’ll teach you how to make money later!”

Tim was stunned. “Okay!”

Curiously, Arissa asked Zachary, “What are the two of you talking about, Zachary? Why are you whispering to each other?”

Grinning cheekily, Zachary replied, “Don’t worry, Mommy! I won’t try anything dangerous.”

Arissa glanced at Zachary before turning her attention to Tim. Eventually, she smiled and said, “Fine. Just watch your safety, no matter what you’re doing!”

Her third son’s mouth twitched in amusement. How dangerous can making money be?

“Don’t worry, Mommy! It’s definitely safe!”

Arissa nodded, acknowledging his promise.

On the other hand, Benjamin had overheard Zachary and Tim’s entire conversation, thanks to his excellent hearing. Thus, he was far less concerned over his children’s safety.

“Let me know if you need my help!” he said to the boys.

Zachary glanced at him and replied, “We don’t need your help for now!”

Benjamin merely nodded in response.

“Here are the drinks, Mrs. Graham!”

Edwin entered the room with a cup of coffee for Arissa and milkshakes for the six children.

Then, he asked Benjamin, “Would you like some coffee, Mr. Graham?”

Benjamin took up his butler’s offer since everyone else was enjoying a beverage.

Arissa sipped on her hot coffee, pleasantly surprised by its flavor profile.

She usually took her coffee cold and had not noticed the delectable nuances when the drink was served hot.

Arissa exclaimed in delight, “Mm, hot coffee tastes pretty good!”

Smiling, Edwin advised, “Mrs. Graham, it’s better for women to take warm and hot foods. Don’t have too many cold drinks in the future!”

She returned his smile and nodded. “Okay! Edwin, why don’t you sit down and eat with us? Don’t keep rushing around the house!”

Edwin looked to Benjamin for approval, and the latter raised his jaw subtly, gesturing for the butler to take a seat.

At the same time, Benjamin said, “She has invited you to join us, so have a seat!”

“Thank you!”

Edwin sat beside the children happily.

Jesse busied herself filling Edwin’s plate, and her five elder brothers quickly followed her lead.

“Please eat, Mr. Whitley!”

“Why, thank you, children!” Edwin was pleasantly surprised.

Arissa smiled at the scene before continuing to savor her food.

Suddenly, she noticed Benjamin clutching his stomach, and she asked, “Is your stomach upset again?”

 

Chapter 759 The Children Care For Him

Benjamin rubbed his tummy and replied, “I’m okay!” The corner of Arissa’s lips twitched as she knew the man was trying to act tough. “You aren’t supposed to have spicy food! See? You must have worsened your condition,” she grumbled in disapproval.

While nagging at him, she still poured him a glass of water. “Drink some water,” she ordered. Benjamin emptied the glass and lost appetite to eat anything else.

Arissa could tell how uncomfortable he felt and advised him, “Why don’t you wash up and get some rest?”

“Daddy, are you okay?” Gavin hopped off his chair and rushed to Benjamin’s side. “Yes, I am,” Benjamin assured the young boy while caressing his head.

“Mr. Graham, you should be honest!” Zachary came over too and stared sternly at Benjamin. Meanwhile, Tim frowned and urged, “If you are not feeling well, you should see a doctor.”

“Yes, I will.” Benjamin nodded with a smile. “Mr. Graham, you should go lie down then!”

It was Oliver’s turn to express concern. “You shouldn’t try to put up a brave front, Mr. Graham. If you are feeling unwell, you have to seek medical assistance. You will get better after taking some medicine,” Jasper advised.

Jesse nodded in agreement and chimed in as well, “Mr. Graham, you should listen to Mommy and get some rest.”

The way the six children showed their concern touched Benjamin’s heart.

“I do feel a little uncomfortable, but don’t worry. It’s nothing serious.”

“Mr. Graham, maybe you should eat more. Who knows, but it might help relieve the heat.”

Immediately, Zachary scooped up some mild food that was suitable for Benjamin. “You should eat this!”

A surge of warmth enveloped Benjamin like a hug. “You can have it. I’m not hungry.”

“No, you should have this. That way, you won’t feel as terrible,” Zachary insisted.

Arissa watched the children fuss over Benjamin and said, “Zachary is right. Maybe you should eat more to soothe your stomach.”

Given the situation, Benjamin could only heed their instructions and help himself to more food.

At the same time, Arissa gestured to the children. “All right, you guys. Eat up and prepare for bed.”

Obediently, the six children returned to their seats to finish their meals.

At that moment, Edwin placed a pill bottle on the table and told Benjamin, “Mr. Graham, you’ll feel better after taking your meds.”

Benjamin knitted his brows, and Arissa took note of the slight change in his expression.

“Edwin is right. You should take your meds after the meal,” Arissa persuaded.

Benjamin merely glanced at her in response.

Arissa promptly looked away.

As the six children continued to eat, they kept tabs on Benjamin, wanting to ensure he was feeling okay.

Benjamin could tell how worried they were and warmly reassured them, “I am all right. Don’t worry!”

“Hmph! We aren’t worried.” Zachary snorted, pretending as if he couldn’t care less.

“Exactly! We’re worried about Mommy. If you fall sick, Mommy will have to overwork herself to care for you,” added Jasper, curling his lips in disdain.

“Yes, this isn’t about you. We only feel bad for Mommy,” Oliver echoed.

Gavin also commented, “Stop flattering yourself!”

The children’s defensive responses made Arissa let out an amused chuckle.

Benjamin furrowed his brows and scanned the children as well as Arissa before a glint flashed across his eyes. Suddenly, he bent forward and acted as if he was in pain.

Instantly, the six children widened their eyes in shock, concern written all over their faces.

The sight made Benjamin happy.

Arissa thought he was in pain again and could not help but comment worriedly, “If it’s serious, you should head to the hospital!”

“No, it’s all right. I’ll be okay after taking some medicine,” Benjamin casually replied before helping himself to more food.

He then drank some milkshake and cringed when he realized it was too sweet for him. Thus, he placed the milkshake in front of Arissa and said, “You can have it.”

Arissa glanced at him. “This is quite sweet. I don’t think you are used to it, so you shouldn’t touch it.”

She pushed aside the dishes that he couldn’t eat.

“Should I cook you some pasta instead?”

Benjamin made a face. He already had pasta in the afternoon, so he didn’t feel like having the same thing again.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t usually have supper, anyway.”

Benjamin stopped after having his fill and watched Arissa and the kids enjoy themselves.

“Remember to take your medicine. Then, you can take a warm bath and head to bed. You will feel better afterward,” Arissa reminded.

“Okay,” Benjamin acknowledged but did not budge.

 

Chapter 760 I Was Like That Too

Arissa handed him the pills when she saw that he had no intention of taking his medicine. “Here. Take them.” Left without a choice, Benjamin did as told.

At the sight of the exchange, Gavin scoffed, “Why are you acting like a child? I can’t believe you need Mommy to persuade you to take your medicine.”

In response, Benjamin shot daggers at the boy. “Why are you glaring at me? I was only speaking the truth.” Gavin shrugged.

“Gavin, are you itching for a beating?”

Benjamin narrowed his eyes and warned the boy.

Little did he expect Gavin to turn to Arissa and whine, “Mommy, he wants to hit me!”

Arissa laughed and assured, “Sweetheart, don’t be scared. If he dares to lay his hands on you, I will protect you!”

Benjamin grumbled, “You always take their side!”

“Well, of course. Gavin is my son, after all!” Arissa boasted pridefully.

Benjamin merely scoffed and turned his attention back to the children. “All of you should finish your supper and go to bed as soon as possible. If you wake up too late the next morning, you won’t be able to visit your great-grandaunt.”

Hearing that, the children wolfed down their supper and finished their milkshakes. Afterward, they said their goodnights and headed upstairs to bed.

“I’ll go check on them.”

Edwin followed suit to take care of the children.

A tender smile appeared on Arissa’s countenance as she watched the children hop up the stairs.

“You should eat up too,” Benjamin gestured to her plate.

Only then did Arissa turn her attention back to him. When she met his deep eyes, she stated, “You should head upstairs and take a bath since you’ve finished your food.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

Casually, Benjamin leaned back in his seat and watched the woman eat.

They were the only ones left in the dining room, and the atmosphere quickly became somewhat sensual.

Under Benjamin’s intense stare, Arissa felt the heat creep up her face.

Suddenly, she became extra conscious of every mouthful of food she took.

From the corner of her eyes, she could still see him staring at her.

Thus, her heartbeat began accelerating beyond her control.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Arissa blurted out.

Instead of answering her, Benjamin threw her an unexpected question. “Are you getting used to staying here?”

Arissa recomposed herself and replied, “Yes.”

It did not matter where she was, as long as she was with her children.

“I see.” Benjamin sounded pleased.

“What’s with the sudden question? Do you think we’re too noisy? Did we disturb you?” she asked, staring at the man’s charming face.

“Not at all.”

Benjamin kept his eyes glued to the woman’s delicate face as he spoke. “Gavin became more cheerful after you all moved in.”

Arissa beamed happily in response. Yeah, he’s right. The boy has become livelier.

Gavin was a quiet boy in the past. He did not speak as much, but now, with the company of his siblings, he became talkative and full of vigor.

At the same time, he became a responsible big brother and often took care of his younger siblings.

With that in mind, a loving gaze appeared in Arissa’s eyes. “Gavin did change a lot.”

She then turned to Benjamin and continued, “He used to be like you. He’s quiet and solemn since a young age. Having such a character as a child made him miss out on all the fun in life.”

A gleam flashed past Benjamin’s eyes. “I was like that when I was young, too.”

Arissa paused and stared at him, but he remained silent and didn’t continue with what he wanted to say.

Though he was a quiet and solemn boy, he grew up fine. Thus, he did not think anything was wrong with Gavin’s overly-mature character.

“A child needs peers to grow up with. Their character will change when they get to play with their peers.”

She then changed the topic and mentioned Tim. “Tim is still not used to it yet, but once he clicks with his siblings, he’ll be fine. We need to give him some time.”

Benjamin nodded. “Tim still feels quite uneasy, but you shouldn’t keep a watchful eye on him all the time. He might feel pressured.”

Arissa bobbed her head. “I’ll take note of that.”

Then, she lowered her head and continued eating.

He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear upon noticing it was about to touch her food.

She stopped in her tracks and felt as though the parts of her face where his fingers brushed were burning up.

Although she tried her hardest to act normal, her natural reaction betrayed her. Her fair cheeks flushed as she blinked nervously, making her look all the more alluring.

Benjamin was thoroughly enchanted by her beauty. She has such beautiful eyes, and most importantly, she gets shy easily. Though she has a strong personality, it can’t hide the fact that her cheeks will turn red whenever she’s shy.

To Benjamin, Arissa looked mesmerizing when she was embarrassed. Her fluttering eyelashes as she avoided his gaze stirred desires and emotions deep down within the man.